Microbial infections account for a relatively large portion of U.S. healthcare costs. For example, hospital-acquired microbial infections result in nearly 88,000 deaths each year in the United States, while affecting roughly 2 million people. These infections add an estimated $5 billion to $6.7 billion to healthcare costs annually. See Dresher W H. Copper Helps Control Infection in Healthcare Facilities, Aug. 2004. In view of these numbers, there is a growing interest in efficient methods which produce products having antimicrobial properties; and the products produced therefrom.
An object of the present invention is to provide methods which produce materials and products having the ability to kill microorganisms or inhibit the growth of microorganisms in a wide range of applications.
Gas and liquid filters are frequent sites for the colonization and growth of microorganisms, often leading to changes in the filter's functional characteristics and infection of downstream products. Examples include food and chemical/biotech processing installations, home and institutional water supplies for drinking and other uses, filters for recirculation systems such as vehicle and aircraft cabin air, swimming pools, wash installations and laboratory or high QC manufacture facilities.
Mud baths, for example, are becoming increasingly popular at various resorts and spas across the world. However, while these baths provide for many minerals which may “revitalize” a person's body, they can be a refuge for bacterial growth and colonization.
Dust masks can be susceptible to the capture of growing bacteria and, accordingly, would benefit from the application of antimicrobial and antiviral reagents, for example nanoscale antimicrobial metals, wherein the reagent(s) can penetrate and bind to the semi-porous structure.
Camping equipment, such as straws and canteens, can be vulnerable to the capture and seeding of bacteria and fungi. This equipment would be well-suited for the application of antimicrobial reagents, for example nanoscale antimicrobial metals, wherein the reagent(s) can bind to the structure and serve as a filtering mechanism, guarding the camper against drinking bacteria-laden liquid.
Other materials and products in need of efficient antimicrobial and antiviral characteristics include medical equipment such as mechanical ventilators, hospital linens, water supply systems, catheters and other biodevices.
Many of the existing methods presently used for providing antimicrobial protection to materials are unable to efficiently remove, or inhibit the growth of, microbe(s) because the reagent providing the protection is unable to reach deep into the pores and crevices present in and on the materials and products. A further problem with existing methods is a rapid desorption of the antimicrobial from the material or product, rendering the material ineffective after a short period of time. The converse to this problem is a stable composite that is unreactive and thus ineffective against the removal or inhibition of microbes. Current methods often require multiple steps: pre-treat, drying, mixing, calcining, post-treatment, and final drying. These methods are often time consuming and require large capital expenses.
The present invention ameliorates the foregoing issues by providing methods which can be used to develop antimicrobial and antiviral materials (herein described as “anti-biocontaminants”) and products, wherein the materials and products provide a high surface area and/or porous structure for efficient exposure to the antibiocontaminant reagent as used herein.
The present invention allows for one to adjust the stability and reactivity of the antimicrobial agent disclosed herein. This compromise between stability and reactivity is achieved through a two-step mix and dry process. Antibiocontaminant reagents used in conjunction with the present methods are able to penetrate into the porous structure of any material thereby providing a larger area of potential antimicrobial contact as compared to prior art methods. The methods described herein produce materials and products that are adjustable in the quantities of deliverable antimicrobial reagents. The methods described herein produce materials and products having the ability to kill microorganisms and viruses and/or inhibit the growth of microorganisms and viruses in a wide range of applications.
Furthermore, the present invention is directed to anti-biocontaminant products. Another object of the present invention is to provide products having water resistant anti-biocontaminant activity and thus maintains antimicrobial activity in water-contacting environments.